Stuck in the Middle
by Dana1
Summary: This is a missing scene from the book. It starts out right after the rumble and takes off from there. Chapter 4 is up and I removed a line from chapter 2.
1. All Fall Down

Title: Stuck in the Middle

Author: Dana

Rating: PG

Warnings: Mild violence, illness, probably a swear word.

Summary: This is a missing scene from the book. It starts out right after the rumble and takes off from there.

Author's note: As you can tell by title this is from Soda's POV. Rewording because you really aren't supposed to copy things.

I leaned back resting my tired head against the armchair. A hand was resting against my ginger ribs as I listened to my older brother, Darry, talk about a Soc having sharp teeth. It wasn't supposed to be this way. We were supposed to be celebrating. We had finally beaten the Soc's. Didn't I say I wanted to have a big party? Right now I just want to go to sleep. I would too if I wasn't so concerned about my kid brother. I haven't seen or heard from him since he and Dally left after the Rumble ended.

The door opened and I saw Pony Boy standing there looking like hell froze over. I was on my feet at about the same time Darry did. "Where were you?" He demanded.

Oh please Darry don't do this tonight. He looks sick. I wanted to yell.

I felt like someone had punched me when Pony Boy said Johnny was dead. It wasn't that we didn't know he was dying I just didn't want to believe it. Man Pony's shaking something fierce.

Darry turned to me and whispered, "See if you can get him to sit down." We both knew I was the only one who Pony would listen to.

"Pony," I said taking a step closer. He looked like he was going to run away again. "Come on sit down. You look sick."

"I don't want to sit down!" He said backing away again.

"Pony..." Darry said taking a step closer but Pony backed away.

The phone rang and Steve said, "Darry it's for you!"

Darry went to answer the phone while I walked slowly up to my brother who I honesty thought was going to pass out then and there. "Come on baby sit down." I tried again but he just shook his head.

Darry came into the room looking as pale as Pony Boy does. "That was Dally. He just robbed a convenience store and we need to hide him. He'll meet us in the lot."

We all took off at a dead run for the lot. I forgot my sore ribs, as I feared we could lose another friend. When we got there Dally was waving a gun at the cops. I remember him once telling Steve and I that he always carried an unloaded gun as a bluff. Stupid idiot those cops don't know it! The gunshots rung through the air as I watched Dally fall to the ground.

Steve let out a whine and I put my hand on his shoulder. He looked like he wanted to run towards Dallas but I was afraid the police would shoot him.

"Glory look at the kid!" Two Bit yelled. Kid? Pony! I thought turning around just in time to see my brother fall to the ground.

I was at his side as fast as I could. Darry was checking him and was yelling for an ambulance. Oh God we can't lose him too.


	2. Hospital Again

I got into the back of the ambulance with Pony Boy. Darry told me he, Two Bit, and Steve would be there in his truck as soon as they could. I held Pony's hand thinking this couldn't be happening. We just lost Johnny and Dally I can't lose my brother too!

"He's got a fever over 104 Shawn." One of the EMT's said before listening to his breathing. "Could be shock."

"What's his name again?" Shawn asked.

"Pony Boy."

The EMT gave me a funny look but said, "thanks. Pony Boy I need you to open your eyes a moment." The EMT said patting his cheeks. Pony groaned and did so. "I need you to follow the light for me okay kid?" He did that for a few minutes before saying, "Concussion."

"I've radioed it in and someone will be waiting for him." A woman said from the front of the ambulance.

I sort of tuned tuned them out after that. I was more concerned about Pony Boy who looked like he was unconscious again.

We pulled up to the hospital and they instructed me to get out so they could move around better. I watched as they unloaded Pony and rolled him quickly down the hallway.

"You'll have to wait in the waiting room." Shawn instructed pointing in the direction. It was the same one we waited in last night.

I paced the room anxious to find out some kind of news about Pony.

"Sit down Soda." I turned around to see Darry standing there. Sit down? Sit down? Our brother fainted and is in the emergency room and he wants me to sit down? "They say anything yet?"

"Just that he has a concussion and a fever of over 104 degrees." I said with a sigh. "Where's Steve and Two Bit?" I asked looking around. "I thought they were coming."

Dally shook his head. "They stayed behind to answer questions. They'll be here as soon as they can find a ride."

"Pony Boy Curtis?" A man asked coming into the waiting room.

Darry and I jumped up. "How is he?" I asked.

"He's pretty sick. His fever is 105 degrees. He's suffering from exhaustion and a minor concussion. We'll keep him here until we get the fever down. Right now he's pretty out of it. I don't suppose either of you is Soda Pop?"

"I'm Soda Pop."

"He's asking for you. And someone named Darry. I suppose that would be you?" He asked turning to Darry.

"Yeah."

"Well they are settling him into a hospital room and they'll come get you when he's situated. Any questions?"

"He's not going to die is he?" I asked. I couldn't help it. We were in a hospital that Johnny died earlier today in.

"Goodness no. He's pretty sick but nothing some antibiotics and plenty of rest won't cure. Any other questions?" He asked. Darry and I just shook our heads. "Well I'll check on him later in the morning to see how he's doing." He said walking away.

I looked at the clock. When did it get to be 1 in the morning? I leaned my head back in exhaustion and before I knew it tears were starting to fall. I tried wiping them away but that didn't work. It just wasn't fair. Only a week ago we found Pony in the lot after Soc's got a hold of him. Now he was in the hospital sick. Johnny and Dally were dead. Dally had just gotten out of jail eight days ago for shoplifting of all things. Johnny was there just like the rest of us.

What if we had lost Pony tonight? Could any of us have gone on?


	3. JellO Or Something Like It

Notes: I removed a certain line from chapter 2. Hope it helps!

I heard footsteps heading my direction so I opened my eyes thinking it was a nurse but it was Steve and Two Bit.

"How's Pony Boy?" Steve asked sitting down next to me.

"Concussion, exhaustion and he has a fever of 105." Darry answered for me. I had my eyes closed again not wanting to deal. I know everyone expects me to be bouncing off the walls or something but I can be serious when I want to and right now I was serious.

"It's my fault." Two Bit said.

"What do you mean it's your fault?" Darry asked sounding a little annoyed.

"I knew he was running a fever before the Rumble. He made me promise that I wouldn't tell you because he wanted to fight. He said he'd take a couple Aspirins and he'd be fine. I believed him. I should have said something. If I had, he wouldn't be in the hospital."

"Not your fault Two Bit." I finally spoke up. "Pony's good at keeping things bottled up." Too good I added mentally. I should have seen something was wrong with my brother. I was so excited about him being home and still thinking about Sandy and worrying about Johnny that I didn't even think something was wrong with Pony. Darry noticed but let everything slide. What if we had been more careful? I wondered

"Are you here for Pony Boy Curtis?" A nurse asked. This nurse had curly blond hair and glasses. She looked to be in her mid to late thirties.

I jumped up as did Darry. "We are his brothers."

"Oh good. Well he's been asking for his brothers and not letting any of the nurses close enough to insert an IV. One went off looking for some kind of soda he could drink. Poor kid."

"Where is he?" I asked not really paying attention to what she said. Really I just want to see my brother.

"He's in room 525. It's up a couple of floor's ad down the hall..." She called but we were already on the way to the elevators.

I entered and saw him struggling with one of the nurses. "Don't touch me! I want Soda!"

"I'm right here Pony." I said grabbing his hand. He jerked it away and I was hurt.

"Don't touch me! I want my brothers!"

I turned to the nurse who was standing there. "He's delirious. It's not unusual for people with high fevers to experience delirium. He's been asking for soda ever since we came in here. I sent a nurse to get him a Diet Tab."

Under different circumstances I would have found that to be funny. "My name's Soda Pop. I'm Pony Boy's older brother."

"I'm so sorry! I didn't realize." She must have noticed the fear in my eyes because the next thing she said was, "we gave him a cold bath before we brought him up and we'll get some ice packs. Don't worry. We'll do everything we can to get his fever down." She looked at the other three men in the room. "Are you all his brothers?"

"I'm his oldest brother Darry and these are two of our friends Two Bit and Steve." Darry said introducing them.

"Darry?" Pony Boy asked reaching out for Darry. Darry was surprised by this and grabbed Pony's hand. "Johnny didn't mean to kill the Soc. Didn't mean to." He said passing out.

Later that day after the doctor told us to go home and get some rest, I was sitting on Pony Boy's bed just watching him sleep. The nurse gave me some food for Pony and said maybe I could get him to eat. I looked down at and didn't think anyone would want to eat it.

"Momma?" Pony called. "Dad? Don't go. Stay here! Don't want you to go. Don't leave me, Darry, and Soda. Need you!"

"Pony?" I said lightly shaking his shoulder. He opened his eyes but they were so glazed over I don't think he saw me. "I have food for you. It's good." I held it up to him and he turned his head away.

"Don't like bologna."

"Pony it's not bologna. It's..." I have no idea what this stuff is. I think it was at one time Jell-O. "It's Jell-O. Come on try it for Soda Pop."

"I hate bologna!" He knocked the bowl out of my hand and hit the floor with a loud thud. I sighed. I went into the bathroom and grabbed some paper towels to clean up the mess. Course if I saw that Jell-O I might have knocked it down too. Since when did my brother hate bologna? That had always been his favorite kind of sandwich.

When I came back into the room he was out again mumbling something about monsters and fires in Atlanta. I am going to ask him what exactly he did in Windrixville.


	4. A Painful Reminder

Grr I hate typo's. It's fixed now.

Work was the last place I wanted to be that afternoon. I told my boss I had an illness in the family but he told me I had to work a couple hours because someone had called in sick. My mind was definitely not on the job or the usual group of girls who hung around the DX station. Steve did enough flirting for the both of us. But he didn't act the same. I know he was as torn up as the rest of us.

"Soda maybe you should go home." Steve said after I dropped the wrench for the third time. "You look beat. I'll cover for you. Maybe I can get Two Bit to come and help out."

I wanted to say yes but I was afraid I'd be fired and we couldn't afford me getting fired. Not with Pony in the hospital. "I'm okay Steve." I said sitting on a wooden crate. Now I was worried I wouldn't be able to get up.

"Hey there's that Soc Cherry." Steve called. I looked up and sure enough there was Cherry Valance, who had been a spy for us. From what Dally said later, he tried to pick Cherry up at the drive in. I wonder what she's doing on this side of town.

She walked up to me. "I heard Pony Boy's in the hospital." I nodded. "How's he doing?"

"We get to take him home tomorrow but he's still pretty sick." It was almost hard to understand why a Soc would be concerned about my brother. She just nodded. "You could go see him."

"Oh I couldn't." She said shaking her head. I didn't ask why. I knew why. Anyone could have figured out why.

"Want a Pepsi?" I asked trying to be polite.

"No thanks I better go." She said walking away. "Tell Pony I hope he feels better soon." She stopped and turned to face me. "I'm sorry about what happened. I only met Dally and Johnny once but..." she sighed. "Johnny was a nice guy." She said and walked back to her car and drove off.

"Hey Curtis!" I spun around to see the day manager, Oliver, standing there. "I'm here to take over for you so get out of here." He said with a grin.

I didn't need to be told twice as I quickly left. I had taken Darry's truck because he had taken the day off. His boss was a little more understanding then mine was. I drove to the house planning to bring Darry the shirt he asked me to and stopped.

Written on our door was the message: Die Greasers!

I hit it as hard as I could and then rested my head against the door. The Soc's never could leave things alone. I unlocked the door and walked in. Darry and I had barely been home the last couple of days so the house was a mess. There was cards, bandages, and beer cans all over the floor remnants of the night of the Rumble.

I went into Darry's room and grabbed his shirt before going to my room. The room was a mess as I had gone searching late last night for a clean work shirt. That'll be the first thing I hear when Pony sees the room. He may be absent minded but he's a whole not neater then I am.

I sat on the bed and just stared at the desk. On the desk was a letter I had started writing to Sandy. I picked it up and glanced at it. I still can't believe she cheated on me. I was willing to put that aside and marry her but she said she didn't love me enough. Enough? I was willing to marry her and she didn't love me enough? I lay my head down on the pillow remembering that breakup. It was the day after Pony Boy had run away. She came over to the DX station and said we needed to talk. I was shocked first by the fact that she was pregnant and then by the fact that it wasn't mine.

I haven't slept well for over a week. The most hours I slept was when Pony came home. Now I knew no matter how tired I was I couldn't sleep until he came home again. I just rolled over and cried. I cried for my two friends, for my girlfriend who didn't want me, for Pony who was sick, for Darry who thinks he's at fault. Pony was the one who ran. Why didn't I just keep my mouth shut when Darry was yelling at Pony? Pony was the one who fell asleep in the lot. Johnny saved Pony's life when he stabbed Bob. But look at everything now! I had wanted to blame Darry but we all did something we shouldn't have. Cost me two of my friends and could have cost me the person I love the most Pony Boy.

I got up and went to scrub the door. I wanted to erase the painful reminder that no one won.


End file.
